Ger Dempsey and Shane McCarthy of Bray Sailing Club finished day two of the Heineken Enterprise World Championship yesterday in an improved 12th overall thanks to a 10th place in the second race of the series. Their result headed an all-round improvement in Irish places in the 104-boat fleet.

The overall lead continues to elude reigning champion Richard Estaugh with Pete Rowley from Chase Sailing Club in Britain, although the gap to first overall is just one point away.

Another day of such consistent sailing could see him oust current leader Roger Gilbert with Alan Skeens from Frensham Pond SC, though the battle among the top 10 boats is certain to be close.

Monday's overall leader Ian Pinnell struggled yesterday and only managed 11th place to slip to third overall. While the light conditions proved tricky, crewman John Blundell was ill throughout, suffering from a bout of gastroenteritis.

Asian boats are also showing steady form with two Indian and two Pakistani boats in the top 10 that is otherwise dominated by cross-Channel entries. Dempsey and McCarthy's result makes them the `pathfinder' boat for today's gate-start although the Bray helm is quick to point out that this could prove to be a poisoned chalice.

"If the right hand side of the course is favoured at the start, we could have a great start," he said. Instead of a starting line, large fleets use the pathfinder to set the line and this duty falls to the 10th-placed boat from the previous day's racing.

Other Irish boats improved yesterday and prospects for several finishers inside the top 15 or 20 boats now look realistic.

Roy Van Maanen and Sally Brightling of Greystones move up to 16th, an improvement of three places overnight; Mark Usher with Bernadette Fox, also of Greystones, had an excellent day when they scored a 13th place.